Breathe Me
by ES Salvatore
Summary: Pop sensation Elena Gilbert has agreed to move across the country with her father for the summer, only expecting to spend two weeks in the southern sun. But, when a new neighbor makes an appearance in her life, baring a connection she can't ignore, she begins to question everything, including the life she chose to live. But what happens when you test fate? You lose everything.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing; simply my own ideas.

Prologue

The soft waves broke silently around my toes buried deep down into the warm sand, hiding my feet from the world above. A seagull squawked overhead, diving down into the deep blue inlet to snag a fish for dinner as the blood red sun hung dangerously low to the water. I could hear the chatter going on inside the house from my position on the beach where I spent my favorite summer. I closed my eyes and allowed the memories to swarm back, succumbing myself to the darkness they brought along with them. I could smell the smoke from the handful of bonfires our families shared, hear the sound of his guitar while his fingers strummed mercilessly across the chords, feel his calloused hands around my waist, pulling me into deeper water, taste the cheery popsicle on his lips, and I could see his face, but it was too much for me from there. I slowly built my walls back up, knowing that if I looked at his face for too long; I'd break into a million pieces and I would never give him that satisfaction.

I couldn't help but shift my gaze up to the estate across the inlet where I'd spent a majority of my nights. A fresh coat of paint had been added to the home, as well as new shutters to adorn the windows. I couldn't help the tug I'd felt when I first came to Wilmington to spend the summer with my father, trying to pull me back across the short patch of water separating the two homes. I was drawn to that place; for obvious reasons. But, I can't go back there. The girl I was and the girl I am now are two different people on two different spectrums.

"Elena, honey, why are you outside?" My step mom's calm, collected voice asked and I could feel the tension rolling off her body in waves when she noticed what I was looking at. Her voice shifted into that of concern, "You need to come inside. Mr. Shane is waiting on you to sign the paperwork and I'm afraid the cameras are going to show up soon." I could only stand, with my feet rooted into the sand and my eyes connected firmly with the top window on the far left. I felt a cool hand on my bare shoulder just as the words that shook my entire core escaped from her lips, "He came back for you, 'Lena."

And then my heart shattered.


	2. Chapter I

A/N: Hello my lovely readers! I'm oh so thankful you've taken the time to stop by and read my fic. This idea has been lurking in my mind for so long and I've finally decided to put it down on paper, or laptop screen, or whatever.

I'm hoping to keep the updates on a regular schedule. I'm looking at a weekly update, preferably on a Wednesday or Thursday. While I can't promise to _always_ be on time, I do promise not to abandon this story, for I already have a sequel drafted in my mind as well.

The word count is going to be around 5,000 words a chapter for those of you who were requesting a longer first chapter. (The first posted was just the prologue, so no worries, the rest will be much longer.)

Again, thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do.

XOXO- ESS

Disclaimer: I own nothing; simply my own ideas.

* * *

Chapter I

"And we're on in five, four, three, two," My stage manager, and mother, Isobel, mouthed at me the last number, giving me a quick wink as the lift began to rise, sending me to the top of the blackened stage where the thousands of screaming fans were watching, their arms outstretched in the air as they reached for me, the flash of their cameras flickering in my eyes every single second that passed by. "And cue the lights," I could hear in the small chip placed in my ear, "Microphones on, Elena's positioned. Three, two, one," and then the lights were on in a blink, the screaming intensifying as my presence was made known on the stage.

"Hey guys! How do ya'll feel tonight?" I called into the microphone hooked around my ear, the pumping adrenaline coursing through my veins like a shot hot coffee. The response was nothing but a mass murder of cries of glee and happiness. I took a few steps across the stage, looking out into the crowd. Each concert made me realize how lucky I was to be supported by such a dedicated group of people. Their screams only got louder as I walked down the runway, separating the fans into two sections, their hands grabbing at my ankles that were just too far out of reach. "Well, if you're ready for a show, then so am I. Let's kick it guys!"

* * *

An hour and a half, and eleven songs later, the curtain dropped and the lights dimmed, signaling the show's, and my tour's, end. The screams died down, but a few girls stayed, chanting my name from the other side of the curtain. Typical. The past year of touring all across America had been an experience I would never forget. I was desperate for my own bed and I was ready to stuff my face with ice cream and pizza to celebrate my upcoming world tour that had been planned for the following year.

"Elena, we need to speak with you about something," Isobel said, her voice a little too nervous for my own liking. It wasn't like my mother to reveal her emotions this much and quite honestly, it made me a bit scared to hear what she wanted to say to me. Someone placed a damp towel around my shoulders as a large pair of hands pushed me through the long corridors, a bottle of water coming in contact with my hand halfway through. My mother's black ponytail bobbed a few feet ahead and her pace was too quick for her normalcy. Whatever was on her mind was weighing hard. It was a bit frightening.

The hallway emptied into a few smaller rooms that we'd previously used for warm ups and the tour crew left my mother and I alone, worry lines creasing around her mouth as she paced in front of me, her fingers lacing and unlacing themselves. "Your father called during the show."

"Oh, okay?" I questioned my brow furrowing. My father and I were not close, but it wasn't like him to interrupt one of my shows unless it was important. This set a very anxious feeling off in my brain, all my nerve endings standing at attention now.

"It's about Jeremy."

My heart sank down into my feet. Jeremy was my younger brother. Though he was only four years younger than me at the age of 22, we all still treated him like the little baby of the family. He was the only person who kept me grounded during my hard times. He supported me when no one else did. He believed in me. "What happened?"

"Your father wants to talk to you in person. Now that your tour is over, your father and step mother have invited you to move in with them for the summer in Wilmington so you can be closer with them," Isobel explained, sitting on the ottoman positioned at my feet. "It's ultimately your decision, but I need to book a red eye if you choose to do so."

"Um—yeah. I'll go. Just, why can't he tell us what's wrong with my brother?" I asked, the curiosity gnawing at me.

"That's something you'll have to talk about with your father. But he was set in stone about not informing us of what's happening," my mother pushed a lock of black hair off her face and stood, brushing her hands along her navy blue jeans. "The after party is about to begin. Go see Bonnie about your hair and makeup and I'll meet you in the lounge in fifteen, okay?" She made her way towards the door, pausing to turn around and meet my eyes, "Don't worry about your brother, okay? Your father said there was nothing for you to worry about."

"Yeah, okay," I muttered under my breath, picking up my expensive handbag off the floor. Mother insisted it's only a part of my image, but the stupid thing is so big I feel like I'm walking around with a suitcase every day. I dug around until I found my cell phone and pulled it out, tapping the power button to try and wake it up faster. When it finally flicked to life, I scrolled through the many text messages from my close friends, congratulating me on finishing the tour, thanking me for being such a good friend and inviting them to my final show, apologies because they couldn't stay for the after party, and a few random ones from unknown numbers that immediately were deleted. None were from Jeremy. None were from my father. Nothing.

Doing my best to push thoughts of my little brother to the back of my mind, I scurried down the hall until I found Bonnie, a cigarette hanging from her lips while her fingers sped across the screen of her cell phone, texting at lightning speed. She looked up at me when I entered the room and tapped the tip of the death stick into an ash tray. Mom hated when she smoked in the building, but Bonnie wasn't really one to abide by the rules. "What can I do for you, m'lady?"

"We have an after party, Bonbon. I need to look hot. But I'm not sure you're gonna be able to do much with this flat hair," I complained, raking my fingers through my hairspray tangled hair. The curls from the concert had died out and it was left looking a bit like an untamed bird's nest.

"Please, take a seat," she smiled kindly, twirling her chair around to face me while she dug around in a portable file cabinet for only God knows what.

"You're the best, you know that right," I complimented, giving her one of my best shit eating grins. She spun the chair around and began picking and teasing various pieces of my mass of hair.

"Yeah I know," Bonnie smiled back, her eyes totally focused on my hair.

"My father called tonight during the show," I ventured, knowing that she would immediately connect the dots. Bonnie and my brother dated when we were back in high school. But now, she was engaged to be married to a marine named Luka and Jeremy was something that I wasn't sure about yet.

"And?" Bonnie asked, beginning to braid my hair around the crown of my head, tugging each piece with delicate force. Her eyes looked up to meet mine when I didn't continue.

"Oh, sorry, um," I paused and licked my dry lips, reaching for the bottle of water sitting on the table in front of me. I uncapped it and took a few long swallows, already feeling my throat becoming hoarse from tonight's work. "Something's up with Jeremy. He won't tell me or Mom what it is, but Mom seems worried."

"Eh, I'm sure it won't be that bad," Bonnie tried, pulling the remainder of my hair back into a tight ponytail and securing it with a black hair tie. "Are you going to see him?" She asked, handing me a cinnamon tic-tac before turning the chair around to work on my makeup.

"Yeah, I'm taking a red eye tonight and staying with my dad and Jenna in Wilmington. I don't know if I'll like it there. It's so—small, and homey and stuff," the thought made me shudder. I had worked so hard to be the person I had become and in places like Wilmington, that was nothing; I was a nobody. All they cared about was keeping the beach clean and building homes for the less fortunate.

"You never know, maybe you'll like it there," Bonnie suggested, "Close your eyes."

"I don't know," I replied, obliging to her request and closing my eyes, "What if I hate it?"

I felt the cool brush of mascara across my lashes as she spoke, "Call me. I'll be there faster than you can say 'motherfucker'. Open."

I opened my eyes and she turned me around, giving me a chance to take in my appearance. My long brown hair was pulled back meticulously off my face, the intricate braiding subtle yet beautiful. The small amount of makeup she'd applied to my face accentuated every small feature from my doe eyes to my high cheekbones. "You're a genius, Bonnie. Thanks, love."

"Just doing my job," She brushed off nonchalantly, picking up her cigarette that still smoked from her ashtray.

"Smoking kills," I called, sifting through the many racks of clothing situated in the middle of the room. I pulled out a pair of black jeans, a red sequin tank, and a leather jacket, tossing them all to the side on the couch.

"Yeah, well, I'm bound to die sooner or later," She called back, teasing her bangs and spraying them with half the can of hairspray.

"I'd prefer later," I rebutted, stripping of my concert attire and quickly sliding into the dry clothing. "How do I look?" I asked, pushing the rack to the side, allowing Bonnie a full view of my new outfit.

"Hot. Here, these shoes will look perfect," She said, snagging a pair of knee high black boots from a box beneath her table. "Now go, before you make me cry," Bonnie said, sniffling for dramatic effect.

"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes into the back of my head as I hobbled, trying to stuff my feet into the boots. "See you at the party, right?" I asked her, dabbing a bit of my favorite perfume on my wrists and jogging towards the door, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Isobel's gonna kill you if you're not there," I added, racing out the door before she could protest.

The upbeat music was thumping through the oversized pair of speakers and three tables filled with an array of different foods sat variously around the room. About two dozen of my closest friends stood around, drinks in hand, chattering and snacking amongst themselves. When I entered, Isobel stood up from her sitting position in one of the chairs, and waved her hands in the air, signaling the music to mute and for the people to be quiet. "Friends, family, staff, we're all here to celebrate the end of a very successful year of being on tour with our superstar, and my daughter, Elena Gilbert!" A roaring of clapping and whoops and hollers echoed throughout the small area, "I'd like to propose a toast to the girl of the night. Elena, I hope for many more years in this business with you. We are all so proud of you." She raised her glass in the air, "To Elena."

Unison of voices called back, "To Elena!"

The night flew by. If I wasn't signing autographs, I was talking about my future. If I wasn't talking about my future, I was talking about my tour. If I wasn't talking about my tour, I was talking about my love life. My boyfriend of three years, Matt Donovan, was a part of the staff, and he was none too happy to hear about my plans for the summer.

"Why can't I come with you?" He complained as we walked down the hall to the awaiting limo parked just outside the arena's back exit. His dirty blonde hair was mused and his baby blues were stressed, frustration lines creasing at the corners of his eyes.

"Matt, baby, you know I want you to come with me. But, this is my other family. They don't know you and they won't have any place for you to stay. Wilmington is the last place you want to go. Trust me. The only reason I'm going is because my father requested my presence for something," I soothed, touching his cheek as we neared the door. Two buff men thrust the doors open and we hurried out, doing our best to dodge the roaring paparazzi as they bombarded us with questions and flashes of their expensive cameras.

"I'll rent a place in town. I just—I don't want to be a whole summer without you," He pouted, jutting his bottom lip out like a little kid, just as the door to the limousine was slammed shut and we pulled away from the curb, leaving a crowd of people in our wake.

"Listen, I'll only stay for two weeks, okay? I won't stay the whole summer. Deal?" I compromised, leaning over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Fine, fine, but you owe me big time when we you get home."

"I'll bring you a sea shell or—," my response was cut off by the chiming of my cell phone in my pocket, "Hold that thought," I said, placing my index finger to his lips to stop his groan. If it was one thing Matt hated, it was being interrupted while we were trying to have a conversation. I looked at the caller I.D. and knitted my brow together. It was Jeremy. I pressed the green button and brought the phone to my ear, "Hello?"

"Hey, um—I'm not exactly sure who this is, but it says sister in his phone and I figured you'd be a good person to call. So, Jeremy is sort of passed out drunk on my couch. I didn't know if I should call him a cab or what—but, yeah," The male voice spoke into the receiver, his displeasure with the situation hidden well beneath his façade of compassion.

"Yes, hi, I'm Elena Gilbert and Jeremy is my brother, but unfortunately I'm out of town and I won't be in town for another few hours. Is there any way you could try calling my father?" I answered, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Hello, Elena, I'm Da— I think he's waking up. I'll call his father. Thanks." And the phone line went dead.

"Well that was odd," I said, slipping the phone back into my pocket just as we arrived back at my penthouse. I turned to look at Matt who was busy reading something on his own cell. "Want to come in and help me pack? I've got my red eye in a few hours."

"No thanks. I'm gonna go home and try to catch some sleep," He said, leaning over to kiss my forehead. Matt and I were never really ones for physical contact. I mean, I was physically attracted to him, I think. I've never had another boyfriend besides him and I don't exactly know if what we have is enough to be called a physical attraction or not. I mean, I love Matt. Things are simple with him, not complicated. And when you have a life like mine, simple is welcomed at anytime.

* * *

One of the perks of being a superstar was that people always did what you wanted them to, whenever you wanted them to do it. So, when I asked to have a private first class section of the plane, the airline went as far to rent me my own jet for the red eye. Of course, I could have taken my own jet, but I wasn't a fan of taking out my baby for a red eye. Something about the night and my cherished jet didn't settle well with me. So, the provided air carrier would have to suffice for the five hour journey from Los Angeles to Charlotte.

After my bags had been loaded and I'd taken a seat in one of the soft white leather chairs, buckling my seat belt for the take off, my phone chimed again in my oversized purse, sitting on the floor beside me feet. Snagging it out before the pilot requested I turn it off; I unlocked the screen and quickly read the message from Matt: 'Have a good flight. Call me tomorrow. Luv ya.' I replied a quick response: 'C u soon', and powered down the device, pushing it back into the front pocket of my bag just as the attendant poked her head out and requested I shut down any electronics and buckle my seatbelt. My watch read a blaring 2:17 A.M. and I was already utterly exhausted from my show and nights events.

It didn't take long for sleep to catch me and I welcomed it with open arms, not even bothering to fight the nightmares.

* * *

I'm pretty positive I looked like a zombie when I exited the black car that had been waiting for me at the airport in Charlotte to bring me to Wilmington Beach. The jet lag was already kicking in and I knew that if I didn't find a bed soon, I was going to crash on the ground. With it only being noon when I finally reached the house I was going to call home for the next two weeks, everybody was out and about, ready to enjoy a great day in the June heat.

I wasn't out the car for ten minutes before my father came rushing down the front steps, a grin on his face so large the neighbors across the inlet could probably see it with surprising visibility. I set down the bags that adorned my hands and barely had time to extend my arms before I was enveloped in a massive bear hug. "Hi Dad," I muttered, my breathing momentarily cut off by his strong arms squeezing my midsection with unrequited force.

"Elena, my baby girl, you've grown up so much!" John, my father muttered into my hair, swirling me around a bit in the middle of the yard. "Let me look at you!" He exclaimed, holding me at arm's length, his gaze looking me head to toe. "You're so beautiful, 'Lena," John whispered, tugging me in for another hug. This time I was able to wrap my arms around him. Things weren't always smooth with this side of my family, but everyone was always so pleasurable and I kind of missed these people more than I realized.

"So, this is the new home, eh?" I inquired, taking in the rustic looking home with maroon paint chipped shingles, a wicker set on the front porch with a glass of lemonade and sweet tea on both tables, and the tire swing that hung from a branch not too far from the wraparound porch. "It's got definite potential," I muttered, twirling my ponytail around my finger. I was still in my clothes from the party and my feet were blistered from the many miles I'd put on the boots. I was desperate for a shower and sleep, but my father seemed preoccupied with my mere presence.

"Yeah, isn't it great?" my dad asked, placing his hands on his hips and taking in the home like it was his first time seeing it. As he turned to look at me again, his eyes almost bugged out of his skull. "I don't mean to sound rude, but you look like death. The red eye was rough?"

"The day after one's tour, one spends the day in bed, sleeping and eating and watching movies. Not taking a red eye at two in the morning to visit family across the country. The time difference is going to kill me," I said, shaking my head and lifting up the bags I could carry. "Do you mind helping me take these to my—," I paused and furrowed my brow, "Where exactly will I be sleeping?"

"Your bedroom, of course! We saved a room especially for you and Jenna helped fix it up for your arrival. I can't wait for you to meet your niece, sweetheart. She absolutely adores you," John cooed, lifting the handles to my two suitcases in his hands and rolling them towards the front door. "Your brother is asleep, so be careful. You know how cranky he can be if woken up," he added with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

"I'm rather jet lagged myself," I admitted, rubbing my already smudged makeup with the heels of my hands, trying not to drop dead from the utter exhaustion. Of my twenty six years of life, I don't think I've ever been this tired. With every blink, I felt as though I was rubbing salt in my raw eyes, and I desperately needed a shower to wash off the smell of the airplane.

Pushing through the front door with my foot, I trudged through the door, not bothering to speak to any of my family or friends currently residing in the house. A pair of small hands grabbed at my knees as I walked, but, in my dazed stupor, I didn't even acknowledge it, the only thought raging in my mind was how comfortable the bed was going to be once I laid down and finally caught some shut eye. John showed me to my room; a pale blue one with an eggshell white comforter and fluffy black pillows that dappled the top of the bed spread to contrast with the pastel walls.

"Well, this is it," John muttered, motioning around the room with his hand.

"Thanks, I'm gonna shower and then sleep for the rest of my life," I deadpanned, pulling my hair from the tight confines of the ponytail holder and raking my fingers through it messily, my nails snagging on a few strands in the process.

"There are some t-shirts in the drawers of the dresser if you'd like something to sleep in," my dad said, taking a few slow steps towards the door, "Dinner is at eight and we're having spaghetti—if you want to join us. I know you might be tired and sleep through it and that's fine, too. I'll save it for tomorrow," John said nervously, rubbing his jaw roughly with his hand, "Holler if you need anything," he stepped out the door and began to close it, only to pop his head back in and add, "Oh, and Jeremy has something to tell you whenever you have a free moment or whatever. Goodnight."

I didn't have time to slip in a question before the door was closed and I was left alone in a room so foreign to me that it was hard to consider such a place home. I could hear the waves crashing quietly in the inlet, and I could see the beautiful blue green water from my floor to ceiling bedroom window on the wall opposite of my bed. Though I would have loved to gaze at the small patch of water that had such a mesmerizing effect that it made time itself stand still, I was about to fall asleep standing up, and I refused to lay down until I had showered.

The bathroom wasn't difficult to find, considering Jenna's interest in interior design had sparked in her coming up with nifty hanging signs, labeling each and every room of the house. The particular one hanging from the door had a bunch of yellow stars on it and the words scripted in perfect cursive read, "Elena's Bathroom". It was very tacky and just a bit cliché, but I had to give Jenna points for trying, right?

I had shed my boots and jacket, leaving on the black jeans and red sequin tank I'd worn to my after party, thankful to get rid of the clunky attire. In one hand I carried my cosmetic bag, filled with shampoo, conditioner, and face wash. In the other, I gripped one of the t-shirts I'd found in the drawers, and a pair of boxers that I'd also found tucked inside the dresser. I considered it a bit peculiar that men's clothing were stuffed in the room my dad was calling mine, but I assumed that Jeremy just had an overflow and needed somewhere to keep his extra things. Plus, he wouldn't mind if I borrowed something to sleep in until I unpacked my bags.

I could hear the water running from the opposite side of the door and I groaned loudly, hoping the person inside might hear me and get out faster. As if they'd actually heard me, the shower halted. I could see the steam swirling beneath the bottom of the doorway and snaking its way between my bare feet. A barely audible hum could be heard through the thin wood and I banged my fist against the door, "Is there any way you could hurry up a bit?" I asked with my apparent annoyance and agitation clear in my tone. I was in no mood to wait around.

"Five seconds," the male voice called back and I furrowed my brow. Jeremy was asleep, Jenna and John were in the kitchen, and I was positive my five year old niece did not sound like a grown man. Who the fuck was in the house and why were they showering in my shower?

"Okay," I called back, leaning against the wall and closing my eyes as I listened to his footsteps against the tile flooring. Only to make things worse, I began to fall asleep against the wall, and of course, as soon as the guy opened the door, I began to fall face first towards the floor. I didn't even have time to register what was happened before a pair of impossibly strong hands gripped onto my sides and helped hold me upright.

"Whoa, I know I'm irresistible, but you don't have to fling yourself at me to get my attention," he said as my brain finally decided to make an appearance, my body slowly realizing what was happening.

"Get your hands off me," I growled, swatting his hands that sat on my hips.

He pulled his hands off me like he'd been burned and held them up in surrender. It was then that I noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt and, quite frankly, it should be illegal for him to do so. With a chiseled abdomen and broad, muscular shoulders, this guy looked like he'd just stepped out an Armani catalogue. "Sorry, ma'am," he drawled, a twinge of a southern accent twanging in his words, but his smirking lips conveyed that he meant the exact opposite, "but your face was about to hit the banister and Jenna would kill you if something happened to her new paint job. "

"Who are you; why are you in my home; why do you know so much about my family?" I nearly shouted, spitting out the questions like fire, one after the other without as much as a pause between them.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He answered my question with another question, my top and most scorned pet peeve. A few strands of his jet black hair hung meticulously over his face and though I was already developing a particular disliking to this boy, my fingers itched to push it back off his architecturally perfected face. His words broke my reverie, "The shower is all yours," He said, sounding uninterested when he spoke, though he made to movement to get out of my way, "oh, and I request that you wash my boxers before returning them," He grinned, a dimple surfacing on his left cheek.

"I don't like you," I said, not bothering to hide my distaste. I crossed my arms over my chest and tried and failed to stifle a yawn. "I have clothes, I thought these were Jeremy's and he never fails to lend his big sister some clothes when she needs it," I rebutted, my eyes narrowed into slits, "besides, I'm sure they have an STD anyway," I said sharply, tossing both the boxers and the t-shirt in his face.

"Yep, from the many women I have sleeping in _your _bed every night. Have a nice day," He snapped back, stepping from the doorway and walking around me, taking the steps two at a time on his way down. I could barely hear the words being passed from mystery man and John, but I did catch a few clips of sentences here and there.

"She's certainly a keeper—"

"She might be a little rough around the edges but—"

"She told me I'm a walking STD—"

An enormous roaring laugh, definitely from the mouth of my father, echoed throughout the entire house. That was enough. I was completely spent, I was desperate for a hot shower, and I'd just got laughed at in front of a guy who'd already been added to my long list of hated people, yet I'd failed to get any information on him.

I showered quickly and wrapped myself in a towel before scurrying off to my bedroom to finally catch the shut eye I'd been craving for the past five and a half hours. Even though I had to dig through one of my own bags to fetch something to sleep in, it was totally worth it. The Neiman Marcus nightgown that Matt had bought me for our three year anniversary fell over my skin like satin and I was very thankful to have taken the time to get out my own pajamas. I noticed the light streaming in the windows was cringe worthy and I stood on my tiptoes as I tried to hang a large black blanket from the curtain pole, with no curtains hanging from it, to shield away some of the pesky sun.

Once the room was darkened to perfection, I pulled out three pills from my cosmetic bag, swallowing them without a glass of water. They hung in my throat for a moment before gliding down and disappearing deep inside the confines of my body. To say I was embarrassed would be an understatement, so, being sure I hid the bottles extremely well, I opted for one of the empty dresser drawers, shoving the bottles in a pair of socks before tossing them away and pushing the drawer back closed.

Finally time to sleep, I pulled the duvet back and snuggled under the warm blankets. I swear I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.


	3. Chapter II

A/N: Oh gosh, I love you guys so much.

With your kind reviews and encouraging statements, I've decided to write up another chapter and post it so quickly just because you guys are awesome and your reviews have pushed me to keep writing.

So, for your reward, here's a new chapter, almost a week early! Don't get used to it because I'm just spoiling you right now. Soon, I'm going to be very busy and writing it going to be very hard, but I promise weekly updates!

XOXO- ESS

Disclaimer: I own nothing; simply my own ideas.

* * *

Chapter II

Loud; that one word summed up my father's side of the family quite nicely. From high pitched shrieks from my young niece, to the hustle and bustle of people working hard in the kitchen, sleep was not the easiest thing to come by in my new home. I swear I had only just closed my eyes when I felt the opposite side of the bed sink under the weight of an unidentified person. Opening my eyes felt like a chore, so I opted for speaking. Working up the bitchiest voice I could muster, I said, "What do you want?" I groaned as my throat burned, my voice coming out like a croaking frog. I didn't realize how sore my throat was going to be after that final show.

"'Lena, you've been asleep for almost seventeen hours. I believe it's time for you to get your ass out of bed," a familiar voice muttered, the scent of wintergreen mouthwash tickling my face as Jeremy, my younger brother, tried to coax my body from the bed.

Another croak escaped my lips, "Seventeen hours?"

"Well, Jenna said you crashed about three and well, the current date is June eleventh, twenty thirteen, and it is currently eight o'clock in the morning," Jeremy said, poking my side with his finger.

Another fun fact about me, I'm deathly ticklish. I mean, if you tickle me, there is a chance you'll come out with a broken arm or a bloody nose. I can't control my body when someone's fingers are probing into my sides. So, the rule stands; tickle at your own risk. But it seemed that my baby brother was trying as he might to get me out of this extremely comfortable bed. "Jer, you know I love you, but you're really killing my vibe," I managed to whisper out, cracking open my eyes the slightest bit. The room was still darkened from my faux curtains but my head was still pounding from the dim lighting of the room.

"Get up," He said again, smacking my rear with his hand, "Jenna made pancakes and we have guests coming over, too," his hand collided with my backside again, "Up. Now."

"I'm gonna kill you," I said as loud as I could, though it came out as a barely audible threat. Damn, my throat was on fire and I was in desperate need of an aspirin and some chocolate milk, my true weakness. So, with all the strength I was able to conjure up, I sat, pushed the duvet down to my waist and ran my fingers through my now completely dry hair trying to give it a bit of volume as I cut my eyes in the direction of my grinning brother. Suddenly the perfect idea struck me. Flinging my arms around his torso, I squeezed as hard as I could, thankful for the many hours I'd devoted to the gym in my spare time on tour. "Oh baby brother, I missed you so much!" I cooed into his ear, planting a bunch of wet kisses all over his face. His distaste was easily revealed on his face as he tried to struggle out of my arms.

"Elena, I love you and I've missed you a shit ton, but if you don't get off me right now, I'm going to tickle you and I'd really hate for things to come to that because you know—I'd rather not be castrated on my sister's first day of the best summer of her life," Jeremy said, his voice rather breathless as I squeezed harder on his diaphragm.

"If you ever wake me up at eight in the morning ever again, I will personally castrate you on my own accord," I whispered sickeningly sweet into his ear, releasing my grip on his arms and pushing him violently off the bed where he landed with a loud thud on the ground. "Get out so I can get dressed," I said, rubbing my eyes roughly with my fingertips. "Oh, did you need to talk to me about something?" I inquired, sliding off the bed, my feet hitting the floor with a soft thump.

"Come to breakfast and you'll find out," Jeremy quipped back, a genuine smile gracing his young, boyish features. "Oh, and I put your clothes up for you," He said, something wicked sparkling in his eyes as he spoke. He opened my bedroom door and stood in the frame, his eyes locking with mine, "Walking STD told me he met you. He's my friend so don't run him off," my brother warned, pointing his finger at me like I was the child in the situation.

"I don't like him, Jer. It's my goal in life to run him off."

"Well, he'll be joining us for breakfast, so do your worst."

And just like that, my morning was ruined.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, after I'd tamed my long locks into a ponytail, and I'd searched relentlessly for my clothing that Jeremy claimed to have put away, which he clearly lied about, I'd shrugged into my favorite hooded sweatshirt I'd managed to find hanging in the closet and a pair of flannel pajama pants, my cold natured body already loving this southern heat. With my most hated glasses resting on my face, I made my way down the stairs, the scent of maple syrup and pancake batter filling my nostrils, earning a loud growl from my stomach in return. I could hear chatter from the kitchen and I'd barely made it to the bottom of the stairs before a pair of small arms locked tightly around my knees.

"Hi, 'Lena, I'm Avery!" Her childishly high voice rang, her big green eyes staring up at me under impossibly long lashes that brushed her cheeks with every blink. She resembled my dad's side of the family with the big doe eyes and flawless olive skin, yet it was clear she had taken on some of the bigger genes from Jenna's side. With the fiery red hair that curled into loose ringlets all the way down her back, the impossibly sea green eyes, and the spatters of freckles that drifted across her nose and around her cheekbones, she definitely had taken a lot of Jenna's traits. I bent down and lifted her light body into my arms, holding her close against my chest.

"Hi there, Avery," I said, my hoarse voice sounding so harsh compared to her trilling one, "I'm Elena," I introduced myself as I walked into the kitchen to find five pairs of eyes locked on my face. I sat her down onto the hard wood floor and she grabbed for my hand, holding it snugly with her small fingers. John sat at the head of the table with Jenna on his right. Beside her sat a pretty girl with almond shaped eyes and impossibly black hair. Jeremy sat at the other end of the table with walking STD on his right, leaving the only empty chair beside him. Avery dropped my hand and ran over to the stool that raised her up high enough to reach the table and sat down, leaving me standing in the doorway with what felt like a bunch of strangers. "Well good morning to you, too," I croaked out, managing a weak smile.

"Elena, you sound like hell," John commented, his eyes taking in my roughed up appearance. Jenna stood silently, giving me a quiet smile as she walked around and pulled a tea bag from the pot on the stove.

"Well, I kind of figured you might like some peppermint tea to soothe your throat," Jenna admitted, her red blonde hair pulled into a ponytail fairly similar to mine. How on earth she knew peppermint tea was my absolute favorite after a show beat me, but I was totally welcoming the hot liquid with open arms.

"Thank you so much," I replied, sliding into my chair and surveying the table in front of me. When Jeremy said pancakes, I'd assumed he'd meant just that, but what I came face to face with was enough food to feed an entire army and then some. Three plates of pancakes stacked about twenty high sat in the middle of the table surrounded by steaming biscuits, a variety of meats from sausage to bacon, fruit tossed together in a bowl, cheese grits dappled with pieces of ham, scrambled eggs, and two pitchers, one filled with sweet tea, the other with lemonade. A tall glass of dark brown chocolate milk sat beside my plate and I smiled towards my dad, happy he'd remembered my all time favorite morning drink. My stomach growled and I momentarily forgot where I was, lost in the arrangement of food in front of me.

"Let me introduce you to the family," Jeremy said, standing up from his chair just as Jenna slipped the hot tea in front of me and took her seat beside John. I gave her a quiet thanks as he began, "Okay, well you obviously know our parents, Jenna, John, say hi," That earned an eye roll from both of them, followed by a snicker of laughter from John, "Next, you seem to have already met Avery. She's your biggest fan and you might be quite embarrassed if you look in her room because all you'll see is your face staring back at you. It makes for one hell of a nightmare," Jeremy continued as Avery nodded her head vigorously, "Walking STD is seated beside you and well, you two have already met and I'm not going to indulge you in any information about him because he requested I didn't."

I narrowed my eyes and turned my head to the left, catching a wink from STD boy, "Sorry, sweetheart, but you'll have to earn information about my life," He said quietly, low enough that he was only speaking to me. I'd almost forgotten Jeremy was speaking until he cleared his throat and rubbed his hands together nervously.

"And this beautiful lady beside me is Annabelle Dawson," He motioned to the girl sitting beside him and she blushed, adverting her eyes to the table before looking up with him with a look I couldn't quite place shining brightly in her eyes.

"Call me, Anna," She spoke, her warm voice catching me off guard. She'd moved her eyes to look across the table at me and I stared back into her deep brown black eyes looking rather similar to my own and gave her a small smile which she returned, revealing bright white teeth the contrasted against her naturally pink lips.

"And Anna is my fiancée," Jeremy said, causing my breath to hitch in my throat. It seemed nearly impossible that my baby brother had found love before me and was getting married. I deemed it a lie and shook my head, a laugh escaping my lips. Everyone turned to look at me and I noticed that none of them were laughing and that they all held the same expression; happiness.

"Are you serious?" I questioned, my eyes unwelcomingly filling with tears as he nodded and Anna lifted her hands onto the table to reveal a rock on her left ring finger. "Oh my gosh," I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand. Jumping from the table so quickly I was surprised it didn't fall with the force I put into pushing myself up, I tackled Jeremy in a hug so big I may have ruptured a few internal organs in the process. "My little brother is growing up so fast," I said in a hushed voice as his arms wrapped back around me and held me tightly.

"That's what I needed to tell you, 'Lena," Jeremy whispered, kissing the top of my head. I released him from my grasp and pulled my glasses off, wiping my eyes as a few tears dripped onto my cheeks. "I'm getting married in October and I'd really love it if you'd be here for the ceremony," he said, sitting back down in his chair as I moved to take my seat.

It was John's turn to speak up, "I know you've only agreed to stay the summer, but I'd really love it if you'd just extend your stay until October," He confessed, picking up a coffee cup with steam swirling around the rim and taking a slow sip of the scalding liquid, wincing a bit as it burned his lips.

I bit my lip and looked around the faces of my family, "About that, I don't know if I'll be able to stay through the summer. I told my boyfriend I'd only stay two weeks," I confessed, pulling off my glasses and rubbing my face roughly, already regretting my decision to return home so soon. The look of defeat on Jeremy's face was unbearable and I quickly added, "But I'll call Matt and rearrange the times. Family above all, right?" I said, meeting the eyes of my brother who immediately sparked up at the change of plans. A wide smile broke out on Anna's face and she reached over to grab his hand atop the table.

"You're the best, Elena," He said, smiling from ear to ear.

"Elena, I was hoping you'd be my maid of honor. I've already started planning some stuff, and I'd really love your input," Anna said, her narrow eyes gleaming hopefully at me from across the table. It was the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me. I was so used to being used for my connections and for publicity but this girl only wanted me for my honest opinions. I loved her already.

"Of course I will!" I agreed, "Now, if I have to look at this food any longer, my mouth is going to start watering. Can we eat now?" I begged, looking around the table again. Jeremy and Anna gazed lovingly at one another. Avery had already snagged a pancake from the top of the stack and was eating it with her bare hands. Jenna and my father both had their eyes locked on mine with a wide grin on their faces and as for walking STD (we'll just call him Unknown for now), he had his eyes locked on something unknown outside the window.

"Let's dig in," John said, lunging towards a stack of pancakes.

And just for that moment, life was normal.

* * *

After I'd stuffed my face with enough food to last a lifetime, I'd decided it was better to call Matt sooner rather than later and let him absorb the information. Was he going to be mad? Yes. Was he going to yell at me? Yes. Was he going to break off our relationship? Not even if I asked him to. That was the thing with Matt; no matter how mad he got at me or how bad of a girlfriend I was, he wouldn't dare to try and call things off. I don't know if it was because I was Elena Gilbert and I had enough money to ruin his life, or if it was just he was scared of what I'd do to him if he did. To be quite honest, if Matt wanted to leave me, of course I'd be heartbroken, but I'd never ruin his life. It just wouldn't be fair.

I searched my room high and low for anything out of the wardrobe I'd brought with me, but I couldn't find a single article of the clothing. Being sure my pills hadn't been moved or discovered in the sock drawer, I pulled out a pair of cut off blue jean shorts and a Duke Blue Devils jersey, sliding it over my arms and ripping my phone from the charger.

The screened in back patio was thankfully empty and I took a seat on one of the cushioned wicker chairs, my eyes drifting to the beautiful inlet. I could now fully understand why my dad and Jenna had picked this place to reside. It was absolutely beautiful. Quick dialing Matt's number, I placed the phone to my ear and listened to the ringing. It rang four times before he finally picked up on the fifth. "Hello?" The sound of loud music played in the background, but it was suddenly muted, a few laughs echoing into the receiver.

"Hey, babe, what's up?"

"Oh, Elena—uh, nothing really, just hanging out with some of the guys."

"I have some good news and bad news."

"Good news first."

"Jeremy is getting married."

"That's awesome, 'Lena. I'm really happy for him. When's the wedding?"

"October. The bad news is that his fiancée has asked me to be the maid of honor and they're both requesting I stay in Wilmington until the wedding."

"No."

"Matt, I've already agreed. So, either you can agree or you can hang up."

The line went dead. Groaning, I raked my fingers through my ponytail and massaged my temples. This is exactly what I was expecting from him. Matt was never one for compromise and I was beginning to wonder why we'd actually stayed together all those years. But, I loved Matt. He was so sweet and nice and normal and I really liked having him around. Shooting him a text that read, 'Call me later when you're ready to tlk. Hugs and kisses, luv lenabear'. I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard a voice in the chair next to me.

"Boy trouble?" Unknown asked, having changed from the last time I saw him into a pair of black jeans and a deep gray v-neck that hugged every muscle on his lean body. I had been wrong about his hair, too. It wasn't jet black, it was more of a midnight black. And his eyes, oh my God, those eyes had me transfixed. I couldn't look away. I had almost about to regain my ability to speak when he cut me off, "Does she speak English?" He asked, quirking his brow together as his eyes drifted towards the inlet before landing back on me.

"Go away," I snapped, the roughness of my voice making me sound a lot less threatening than I was attempting to be.

"Well, I was here first, so why don't you go away," He said back, lacing his long fingers together in his lap and turning his head to look at me. The challenge drawn in his eyes and the smirk tugging on the corners of his lips was enough to keep me rooted in my position in the chair. Who was he to tell me to leave my own home?!

"This is my house. I live here. You don't," I rebutted, crossing my arms over my chest defensively and meeting his dark gaze.

"I've been sleeping in your bed for three days now. Last night I was forced to the couch thanks to you. I'm not happy about you being here either," He drawled, the twang swirling through every word that left his lips.

"What do you mean by 'either'? Everyone here is happy to see me."

"You don't want to be here."

"You don't know me!"

"Elena Marie Gilbert; born on the twenty first of August in Atlanta, Georgia; musical prodigy; sold out Madison Square Garden in three point five seconds; dating Matt Donovan, tour staff; three year relationship apparently now on the rocks…" He trailed off, his eyes narrowing into slits, "Still think I don't know you?"

"That's creepy that you know that and mine and Matt's relationship is none of your business! I'm going to file a police report and tell them you're stalking me," I muttered, picking at my cuticles, a nervous habit I'd picked up from my mother.

"All I had to do was read a magazine to know that you're just like every other bratty pop singer out there. You write songs about summer nights and happy ever after and all that nonexistent shit that people like to hear on the radio," He replied easily, suddenly sounding bored with the conversation. He brought his ankle up to his knee and rested it there, raking his fingers through his messy hair to push it away from his face.

"I find it incredibly unfair that you know all this information about me and my life, yet I don't even know your name," I said, furrowing my brow and twirling the end of my ponytail around my finger. Though he was right about the whole magazine part; I never seemed to be able to keep any secrets in this life, he was wrong about the song part. "Oh, and I write about stuff that I like, too!"

"Oh please, your song 'My Girls' is about you going out with a bunch of girls and partying until your feet hurt! How can you possibly like to listen to that stuff?" He asked, leaning back in the chair, the wicker creaking with the movement. "How can anybody like to listen to that stuff?" He mumbled so low I almost didn't hear it.

"All three of my albums have gone platinum within the first week they're released and people line up outside my door just to get a glimpse of me. I'd say I'm a little more appreciated than you seem to believe," I replied, a confident tone stressing through my voice. I mean, people loved me and they loved my music. That's the reason I'd already won three Grammy awards, right?

"Conceited much?" he asked, one brow arching as the smirk returned to his lips.

"Confident would be more appropriate. What's your name?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" And with that final statement, he stood and exited the patio, leaving me alone with my raging thoughts.

I leaned my head back against the back of the house and inhaled a deep breath through my nose, releasing it through my lips in slow puffs, a technique my therapist had taught me for those oh so stressful moments in life that made me think about that fateful night when the whole ordeal had gone down. Isobel had gone through so much to be sure the paparazzi never caught wind of it and fortunately for me, she'd practically erased the event, except the nightmares that haunted my dreams every night.

Finally gaining some motivation to do something productive with the day, I stood from the chair and made my way back into the house, trotting up the stairs and flopping down face first onto my bed. That's when I smelled it. I was shocked I hadn't smelled it before. It wasn't cigarettes, it was something richer and much fouler; cigar smoke. Unknown smoked cigars, now did he? That was repulsive and I was immediately turned off by the smell. But, mixed in with it was something that drew my nose like a moth to a flame. Peppermint and honey mingled together with the rich smoke scent and it was like heaven drizzled into my sheets. I shot up and tugged my hair out the ponytail, letting it fall in straight locks around my shoulders. "Jeremy!" I hollered as loud as my poor voice could, scratching my arm as I heard his footsteps thud down the hall.

"What?" He replied, sticking his head in my door and flicking his eyebrows up.

"One, where are my clothes? Two, why does my bed smell like cigars? Three, why the fuck was someone sleeping in my bed!?" I asked, the anger pent up inside beginning to boil a bit. Of course I wasn't mad at Jeremy, I was mad at unknown for being so annoyingly stupid and bothering the ever loving shit out of me.

A grin broke out across Jeremy's face and he shrugged, "One, you had too much pop star stuff, so I put that away. You're in Wilmington, not Hollywood. Two, D—STD boy likes to play pool at a place a few miles away. They allow smoking and when he comes home, the stench is usually laced in his clothing. Three, his family was out of town and he didn't want to stay home alone," He said, walking into my bedroom and hopping up on the dresser. "You know, he's not that bad once you get to know him, right?"

"That's the problem, I don't want to know him! He's snarky and appalling and he makes my skin crawl and I don't even know his fucking name!" I groaned, flopping back against the pillows and pressing one against my face. "When is he leaving?" I asked, more than ready for him to be gone from my home and back somewhere he belonged; like jail or Alaska.

"His parents fly in tonight. But, I must warn you that he doesn't live far," Jeremy admitted, pointing out my large window at the house across the small patch of water.

"He doesn't."

"That's his house."

I groaned louder and punched the pillow, more than angry that he was only moving less than a mile away from me. Great. Perfect. This is exactly how I wanted to spend my summer. "If I have to live next door to him, at least promise me—," my phone blared 'Bird Machine' and I jumped, pulling it off my dresser and looking at the caller I.D. "Hey, Bonbon! How is—?"

"Tell me you haven't looked at Pop News Weekly," She almost shrieked into the phone and I could hear the rapid turning of pages on the other end. I cut my eyes to Jeremy who was pressing buttons on his cell phone, clearly preoccupied.

"Uh, no I haven't. I've yet to be out in public since I got here, why?" I asked, sliding the pillow off my face and pulling at a few loose threads that were fraying along the ends of the case.

"I'm going to email you the article and I want you to go look at it as soon as possible and call me back."

"Okay, I'll do that," I muttered, pressing the big red end button on my cell phone and tossing it down on the bed. "Jer, is there a computer somewhere around here?" I asked, standing from the bed and walking towards the door.

"Yeah, there's one in my room," He replied, shoving his own cell phone into his pocket and hopping down off my dresser to lead me into the sacred man cave of his bedroom. I was a bit shocked to see stark white walls with a bright red bedspread and black furniture placed randomly in the space. A desk tucked away in the corner held a large screen Apple computer and a few speakers were positioned around it. Anna lay on his bed, her nose stuck in a bridal magazine with a pair of ear buds stuck in her ears. She pulled them out when we entered, "Hey sweetheart," Jeremy said, dropping down on the bed next to her and kissing her cheek.

"Ew, gross," I called over my shoulder, pulling out the desk chair and flopping down onto the soft seat, pulling up the browser and waiting patiently for it to load. I turned around and asked at the raven haired girl, "What's the color scheme for the wedding?" ,popping my knuckles with the heel of my hand.

"I was thinking maybe orange and brown since it's an October wedding. The fall colors would just look so pretty. We could get married here on the inlet with the trees and their changing leaves and all," She said with a small shrug, flipping through a few more pages in the magazine.

Once the browser was up, I pulled up my email and logged in, clicking on the email from Bonnie that was at the top of my inbox list. A blue link to the magazine with the article attached with no message was the only thing in the body email. Double clicking on the link, I barely had to wait for it to load before the picture was on the screen, bright and clear. I gasped and pushed back out the chair, running down the stairs and out the back door, my hand on my chest as my breathing came out in short, small pants.

Avery and Unknown were playing in the shallow waters, picking out shells, seeming so carefree and happy. He hefted her over his shoulder and spun her around a few times, eliciting a burst of giggles from her lips. When they noticed me standing there, the little girl ran towards me and tilted her head to the side, noticing the tears that overflowed in my eyes. The boy stood a few feet back, his brow knitted together as he looked at the expression on my face. Just as I was about to speak, Jeremy and Anna burst through the back door, flanked by John and Jenna.

I turned to face my family and saw the look of realization and sorrow displayed across their features. They'd seen the photo. John was the first to speak, "Elena, I'm so sorry," He whispered, taking a slow step towards me. Jenna's hands shoved into her back pockets and she looked down, shaking her head back and forth.

I don't really remember what happened next. My brain got a little fuzzy as my knees fell against the soft grass. The sobs were wrecking through my chest, ripping away at my heart and tearing my life apart. I closed my eyes and succumbed to the darkness, the photo the last thing in my mind before I blacked out.

_Matt Donovan kissing another girl._


End file.
